Enjoy our site from dawn to dusk daily! We are located at 12995 Bain Road, Mercersburg, PA 17236. Business hours, including the research library and historic house tours, are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by appointment. The site is open year-round. Contact us to arrange for group tours or private events at 717-328-3467.

Downloadable Biking & Driving Map of French & Indian War Sites in Southwest Franklin County.

Click below to begin searching our On-Line Catalog, including library materials and museum collections. The On-line Catalog is a work in progress, currently holding 10% of our data. If you don't find what you need in the catalog, please call us at 717-328-3467 for further search options.

CI is pleased to offer its members on-line access to the
full-text history database Accessible Archives. To begin your
research, login by clicking here.
Members must provide a password to log in. If you don’t have a password,
contact CI staff at 717-328-3467 or
<info@cimlg.org>.

Welcome to the Conococheague Institute

The Conococheague Institute serves as a regional center for developing and fostering awareness, understanding and stewardship of the cultural and natural history of the Appalachian frontier of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. We strive to achieve our mission through education, research and preservation.

Local people pronounce the Native American word “Conococheague”: CONICA (rhymes with "Monica") JIG (like the Irish dance). In 1822, Conococheague was defined as meaning, “long indeed, very long indeed.”

We are headquartered within Rock Hill Farm, a well-preserved historic farmstead that was established in the early 18th century in southern Franklin County, Pennsylvania, near the village of Welsh Run. Our 30-acre site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes two historic house museums with outbuildings, a research library, two relocated historic log structures, a replica Eastern Woodland Indian village, walking trails with access to a pioneer cemetery, and several historic gardens.

After years of research and study by Dr. John Stauffer and Calvin Bricker, with contributions from many associated with CI, James McCullogh’s Book: A Glimpse into Life on the Colonial Frontier has been published along with its companion, The Annotated James McCullogh's Book..

A fascinating read, these books share the story of one of those people who are often unrecognized by history, but who did the actual work to civilize and build this country. Through his notations in a journal he began in 1745, McCullogh shares the details of his work life as a farmer and linen maker at a time when settlers lived in mortal fear of Indian attacks. Deeply religious, he uses Bible verses to deal with the tribulations of daily life that included the likely murder of his brother John and the kidnapping of his two small sons at the hands of Indians unhappy at losing their lands. Sometimes writing in code and sometimes in enigmatic exclamations, James McCullough gives a vivid look at the Pennsylvania frontier. It’s a story not to be missed!

You can purchase these books at Amazon.com, on site at C.I. or by calling 717-328-3467.